Chapter 52
Just as the blade touched his neck, Edward suddenly spoke, "Before you kill me, shouldn't I at least know who wants me dead?"
The assassin paused, the knife hovering steadily in midair. He sneered, "So Mr. Thomas wants to die with all the answers."
Edward glanced behind him, then casually looked away. "If I'm going to die, I should at least know whose hand takes my life."
"Mine, of course."
Edward countered, "You're just a tool being used to kill me."
The assassin, stung by the truth, lashed out, "Does it matter who sent me? You'll die by my hand regardless. I'll make sure you're dead beyond dead."
"I doubt you have what it takes."
"Big talk from a dead man walking!"
He raised the knife, ready to slash Edward's throat.
But he failed to notice that Adeline had regained consciousness. She held a rock in her hands and suddenly smashed it against the back of the assassin's head.
The assassin collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Adeline swayed, still dizzy from being knocked out earlier.
Once steady on her feet, she looked for a way to free Edward.
After searching around, she found the rope tied to another tree.
She went to untie it.
"Adeline, run!" Edward shouted.
Adeline instinctively turned around, only to be grabbed and slammed face-first into the ground. Her cheek scraped against the stones, instantly drawing blood.
"Quite the fighter, aren't you?"
The assassin felt searing pain at the back of his head. Blood trickled down his neck into his collar. He touched it and found his palm covered in blood.
He wiped it on Adeline's clothes.
"I wasn't planning to hurt you, but now you're asking for it."
The assassin grabbed her by the hair and smashed her head against a tree.
The impact made a sickening thud.
Adeline's consciousness faded as her forehead exploded with pain.
Her body crumpled to the ground.
The assassin ignored her, focusing on his primary target—Edward.
He approached with his knife.
Suddenly, someone grabbed him from behind.
Edward had been struggling desperately, but the ropes were too tight. Watching Adeline tangle with the assassin, he roared in frustration, "You idiot! Get out of here!"
But Adeline wouldn't let go.
Her arms locked tightly around the assassin's waist.
Enraged, the assassin was determined to kill Edward first.
He dragged Adeline along as he moved forward, her feet leaving trails in the dirt.
Even in her semi-conscious state, she knew she couldn't let go.
"You can't kill him... you can't..."
The assassin reached Edward and grabbed Adeline by the collar, "This woman's willing to die for you."
Edward's eyes were bloodshot, "Attacking a woman—what kind of skill is that? If you've got the guts, come at me."
"Oh, I'm coming for you."
After all, Edward had always been the target.
As the assassin approached with his knife, he failed to notice Adeline staggering to her feet and lunging toward the tree where Edward's rope was tied.
By the time he realized what was happening, Adeline had already untied the rope. He immediately pounced on her, and they struggled over the rope.
Adeline was no match for the assassin, but she was stubborn.
She held on with all her might.
The assassin, furious, thrust his knife forward.
At the same time, Adeline bit down hard on his wrist. The assassin flinched in pain, loosening his grip, and the rope snapped upward.
Edward plummeted toward the ground.
Just before impact, he twisted his body mid-air, completing a full rotation. He bent his knees and landed heavily.
Edward's first move upon standing was to kick the assassin with devastating force.
That single kick nearly incapacitated his opponent.
By now, Adeline lay in a pool of blood. The knife had pierced her abdomen, creating a hole from which blood steadily flowed.
Edward scooped her up and raced down the mountain, feeling her body temperature dropping by the second.
Through gritted teeth, he managed, "Adeline, hang on. Do you hear me? I order you not to pass out, don't sleep, wake up and talk to me."
Warm blood soaked through her clothes into his, turning cold and sticky in the wind.
Excessive blood loss could lead to shock.
He kept calling her name.
"Adeline!"
"I forbid you to fall asleep!"
"Did you hear me? Look at me! I'm taking you to the hospital right now. You're going to be fine."
Adeline rested in his arms, her eyes barely opening to a slit.
She looked at Edward's face.
His expression showed rare panic.
She was a bit dazed.
In college, they had gone hiking together. When she twisted her ankle, Edward carried her on his back the whole way...
Just like now. From the mountaintop to the base, never complaining about the burden.
She slowly raised her hand, stained with blood, and placed it on his shoulder.
"Edward..."
He abruptly stopped, then resumed his pace even faster.
"I'm getting you to a hospital."
He ran all the way down the mountain, finally reaching the police and Anson. They loaded her into an ambulance, and Edward gripped Adeline's hand tightly.
Adeline could no longer speak.
The ambulance raced through the streets, the atmosphere inside tense. Edward stared intently at Adeline.
He wondered how one person could lose so much blood.
It seemed like she would bleed dry.
The nurses and doctors worked frantically, fighting against time.
Throughout it all, Edward held Adeline's hand, never having felt it so cold before.
Without looking up, he urged, "Can't you drive faster?"
The nurse replied anxiously, "This is as fast as we can go."
They finally reached the hospital. The nurses worked together to transfer Adeline to a gurney and rushed her inside.
Edward followed alongside when suddenly Adeline grabbed his wrist.
He leaned down.
Adeline was murmuring something he couldn't hear clearly.
Just before they reached the operating room, he bent closer to listen.
"Edward... Lily... is..."
Adeline didn't finish before being wheeled into surgery.
Edward was left standing outside the doors.
"Adeline, you have to make it out. You have to live."
The hallway fell silent.
Edward hung his head. After a long while, he whispered softly.
His revenge, his hatred—he hadn't fully expressed them yet.
The object of his vengeance couldn't die.
Otherwise, his life would lose its purpose.
When Anson arrived in the hallway, he found Edward sitting alone on a bench. His white shirt was completely soaked with blood.
His hands, resting on his knees, were covered in dried blood.
He was slowly rubbing his hands together, flakes of dried blood falling to the floor.
Anson found the sight disturbing, "Mr. Thomas... Zach has been stabilized, though he's still unconscious. The man who attacked you has been taken to the police station and is in custody, but he refuses to reveal who's behind all this..."
"Anson."
Edward suddenly interrupted him.
Anson noticed the bloodshot depths of his eyes.
"I don't want to hear about any of that right now."
He couldn't think straight.
Anson nodded, "I understand. You stay here with Ms. Brown. I'll get you something to eat and bring some clean clothes."
He arranged for a VIP waiting room and gathered clean clothes and food.
But when he returned to the emergency room entrance, he saw a nurse rushing out with a grave expression.
Anson's heart sank.
Edward slowly rose to his feet.